LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN 

I  7  1 1  TO  I  860 


BR 

514  . 

.P3        r 

1917 


SELECTIONS  EDITED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPTS 
IN  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


By   victor    HUGO    PALTSITS 

CHIEF   OF   THE    AMERICAN    HISTORY    DIVISION 

AND    KEEPER    OF   MANUSCRIPTS 


NEW    YORK 
1917 


Paltsits,  Victor  Hugo,  186/- 

1952, 
Letters  of  American 

clergymen,  1711^  to  1860 


<^^ 


jAr' 


nf?fnftL  S^ 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN   CLERGYMEN 


I  7  I  I    TO    i860 


SELECTIONS  EDITED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  MANUSCRIPTS 
IN  THE  NEW   YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


Bv    VICTOR    HUGO    PALTSITS 

CHIEF    OK    THE    AMERICAN    HISTORY    DIVISION 
AND    KEEPER    OF    MANUSCRIPTS 


NEW    YORK 

I9I7 


Ueprinted  October  1917 

From  THE 

I'.ui.i.ETiN  OF  The  New  York  Public  Library 

OF  August  1917 

f  i.rin  p-ioi  I \  (1-17  :ir) 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN   CLERGYMEN 
1711   TO   1860 


IN  January  of  this  year,  The  New  York  Pubhc  Library  received  an  interesting  collection 
of  letters  by  American  clergymen,  from  1711  to  1860,  the  donor  being  Simon  Gratz,  Esq., 
of  Philadelphia.  There  are  172  letters,  making  about  304  pages.  Some  of  them  are  addressed 
to  Eleazar  and  John  Wheelock,  successively  presidents  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  to  Rev.  Dr. 
Stephen  Williams,  of  Longmeadow,  near  Springfield,  Mass.  The  subject-matter  is  generally 
ecclesiastical  in  character,  but  by  no  means  exclusively  so.  Important  public  matters  or  early 
American  education  are  discussed  generously  by  several  of  the  writers.  The  following  five 
letters  have  been  selected  for  printing  as  representative  of  the  collection. 

• — Victor  Hugo  Paltsits,  Keeper  of  Manuscripts. 


Joseph  Green  to  Stephen  Williams 

Boston  October  y^  20''>  1722 
Rev<^  S-- 

Tho'  I  am  almost  afraid  I  shall  glutt  you  w'^  Epistles,  and  by  reiterated 
writing,  render  my  lines  distastefull  unto  you  if  I  hold  this  trade  by  all  oppor- 
tunities; Yett  w"  very  Convenient  opportunities  (as  this  is)  do  present,  I  shall 
not  be  wholly  silent,  tho'  I  am  sensible  of  the  unpolishedness  of  my  lines,  untill 
my  silence  be  comanded  or  intimated  by  your  Pen  or  otherways;  as  my  writing 
so  frequently  doth  verifie;  what  I  can  relate  unto  you  in  this  Epistle  that  I  can 
presume  would  be  gratefull  unto  you  shall  be  comprized  in  a  few  words;  we 
hear  in  the  last  Ships  from  England  that  the  Bishop  of  Rochester  is  in  the 
Tower  for  some  treasonable  fact,  who  (as  we  likewise  hear)  has  deserved 
such  treatment  long  before  now:  The  Nation  (as  they  relate)  is  in  a  great 
confusion  upon  w*  particular  head  I  cant  say; 

Coll.  Taylor  M""  Secretary  &  Coll.  Stoddard  are  gone  dow[n]  to  y^  East- 
ward with  the  Mohawks,  (one  of  whom  that  was  left  here  under  great  In- 
(hspositions  of  body  (by  the  bloody  flux)  on  y'^  17  Instant  departed  this  life 
&  on  yesterday  Evening  w^as  honourably  interred  with  a  sword  upon  his 
Coffin,  carried  by  Porters,  and  six  Captains  of  our  militia  for  his  paul  holders, 
was  followed  by  the  Council  and  ah  the  officers  of  the  militia  beside  other 
Gentlemen  of  the  Town,  the  number  of  the  spectators  were  innumerable  &c. 
The  intent  of  their  going  thither  is  to  enquire  the  reasons  of  the  last  rebellious 
rupture,  &  to  endeavour  y^  Establishment  of  a  well-grounded  Peace  (if  it 
might  be  effected)  between  us  &  the  Indians,  the  mohawks  becoming  Sponsors 
for  the  Indians,  what  the  event  of  it  will  be  we  must  leave. 

[3] 


4  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

Whilcst  M'  I'^liott  was  witli  us  liere  M""  Checkley,  D""  Gibbins  &  Greaves 
used  n:anv  Stratagems  for  the  obtaining  his  Conversation,  which  M"  ElHott 
as  resolutely  declined.  M'  ILirris's  conduct  in  this  affair  is  admirable,  he 
shews  no  willingness  to  receive  them  into  the  Church;  I  hear  he  has  suspended 
Jack  Torey  as  a  nonjurour  from  their  Communion.  M""  Cutler  is  daily  expected 
here  to  sail  in  Lethered  to  whom  the  oath  of  allegiance  &c  will  be  offered 
(as  we  suppose)  before  he  goes,  which  if  he  refuses,  we  may  suppose  he  will 
not  meet  w'"'  very  good  acceptance  in  England,  (if  he  takes  it,  it  may  obviate 
many  reflections  that  may  otherwise  be  cast  upon  him 

]\f  Cook  is  like  to  settle  att  Sudbury,  &  M"  Dexter  has  a  Call  to  ]\lystick, 
but  of  these  things  Gerald  must  inform  you;  Gerald  is  in  all  imaginable  hurry 
so  that  T  cant  pform  what  I  att  first  proposed,  butt  am  forced  to  break  of 
abruptly,  w*''  presenting  my  humble  service  to  M^^  Williams,  Duty  to  M"" 
Brewer  &c  and  all  that  enquire  after  me,  intreating  Seriously  your  Prayers  for 
a  barren  sinner  under  the  Cultivation  of  Gods  vineyard,  who  yet  desire  to 
have  my  dependence  upon  him  on  all  occations. 

I  am  Rev''  S""  your  most  humljle  &  obliged  Serv* 

T.  Green 

[Addressed :]  To  the  Rev''  AF  Stephen  Williams  Pastour  of  a  Church  att 
Springfield  [Mass.]  %3  IVP  Gerald  O  D  C 


Caleb  Smith  to  Jacob  Green 
Very  Dear  &  Rev''  Sir 

I  should  have  ])een  exceeding  glad  to  have- seen  you  here  this  week,  for 
as  to  my  self  have  been  so  disordered  with  a  violent  Cold  I  tooke  the  Day  I 
left  Princeton,  that  have  been  obliged  for  the  most  Part  to  keep  my  Roome 
since  my  Return  Home.  It  is  seated  on  the  right  Side  of  my  Head,  and  at- 
tended with  a  violent  Pain  in  my  Ear,  I  pray  that  God  would  help  me  to 
improve  under  his  chastning  Rod;  alas  I  have  Reason  to  be  abased  in  the 
Dust  that  I  have  got  no  more  Benefit  by  past  Tribulations.  O  my  Leanness! 
my  Leanness !  w  hen  will  the  time  come  that  my  wretched  Heart  will  mend. . 
without  divine  Grace  every  Dispensation  will  be  vain. 

I  desire  to  join  with  you  in  Thankfulness  for  dear  M''^  Green's  safe 
Deliverance,  may  your  infant  Daughter  live  &  be  a  Comfort  to  you  both.  I 
hope  your  Spouse  is  by  this  Time  recovered,  may  you  long  be  happy  in  each 
other. 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN,  1711  TO  1860  5 

By  the  letters  which  M*"  Smith  brought  from  Virginia,  we  learn'd  that 
the  main  Reason  of  M""  Davies  non-Acceptance  of  the  Presidentship,  was  that 
the  Presb^  there  did  not  chiise  to  be  instrumental  in  removing  him  from  that 
Part  of  the  Country,  where  they  so  greatly  needed  his  Assistance;  The  main 
Difficulty  did  not  lie  with  M""  Davies  or  his  People;  we  therefore  concluded 
to  make  a  farther  Tryal,  &  have  put  down  M""  Halsey  to  sollicit  M''  Davies 
coming  to  the  College  as  vice-President  untill  the  Spring  when  we  might  have 
an  Opportunity  of  trying  the  matter  before  the  Synod;  and  we  concluded  to 
send  M""  Worter  there  to  supply  his  Pulpit  in  the  mean  Time.  We  have  a 
good  Dea[l]  of  Reason  to  think  this  Scheme  will  succeed,  especially  from  some 
Conversatirou]  which  M""  Smith  our  Messenger  had  w'ith  M''  Davies  on  the 
Head.  We  ap[P]ointed  a  Trustee-meeting  the  fourth  Wednesday  in  Novem- 
ber next,  and  concluded  that  M""  Treat  should  desire  his  son  to  come  to  the 
College  at  the  End  of  the  vacancy  •&  assist  in  the  Instruction  untill  the  Trustee- 
Meeting,  when  it  is  supposed  he  will  be  chose  Tutor,  I  am  doubtful  how  he 
will  fill  the  Place,  but  know  of  nothing  better  at, present,  as  M""  Duf field 
declines  coming. 

M"'^  Edwards  &  her  Son  are  gone  to  Philadelphia,  &  I  hear  the  Docf 
has  concluded  to  let  her  have  the  Children,  but  the  Son,  I  mean  President 
Burr's,  was  very  sick  at  the  Time  of  Commencment,  &  'Twas  much  feared 
whether  he  would  recover. 

I  had  Thought  of  setting  out  on  a  Journey  to  New-England  next  week, 
tho'  it  is  doubtful  whether  I  shall  be  well  enough  to  go  abroad,  must  leave 
the  Matter  with  Providence,  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  disappointed  sometimes, 
I  wish  for  an  Heart  to  improve  all  the  Dealings  of  Heaven  toward  me,  &  to 
be  able  to  hold  myself  wholly  at  the  divine  Disposal. 

Kindest  Salutations  to  good  M"  Green,  with  tender  Love  to  your  Children 
from  Dear  Sir 

Your  ever  Affectionate 

Caleb  Smith 
Newark-Mountains 
Octo.  5,  1758 

P.S.  At  Present  it  seems  most  probable  I  shall  prosecute  the  Scheme 
of  a  northern  Expedition.  H  it  were  possible  should  be  extremely  glad  if  vou 
would  supply  my  People  a  Sabbath  in  my  Absence  &  I  shall  be  willing  to 
return  the  Favour. 

[Addressed:]  To  The  Rev"^  Mr  Jacob  Green  at  Hanover 


6  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

David  Parsons  to  Eleazar  Wiieelock 
Rev"'  &  Hon''  S^  (S:  my  very  Dear  Friend 

These  Present  you  my  Kindest  &  most  Sincere  Compliments,  Wishing 
&  praying  you  strength  &  Grace,  &  Every  needful  Qualification,  Requisite 
to  mantain  the  Dignity  &  Character  of  the  place,  &  Discharge  with  fidelity 
«&:  success  the  Arduous  and  Important  Trusts,  devolved  upon  you:  I  Rejoyce 
greatly,  often  to  hear  of  the  prosperous  state  of  y""  College;  &  my  future 
Expectations  from  it  (I  Confess)  are  not  small;  It  appears  to  me  of  god, 
&  will  outlive  all  the  malicious  Attempts  of  its  opposers;  &  will  flourish  & 
be  famous,  when  its  Avow^  Enemies  are  Dead  &  Rotten. 

I  am  allow''  but  a  minute  l)y  Esq""  Chauncy  to  tell  you  he  has  upon  my 
Advice  sent  his  son  to  be  Disciplind  at  y""  school;  in  preparation  for  Admission 
into  y""  College:  The  youth  is  Airy,  &  needs  to  be  brought  under  the  Yoke; 
&  Confined  to  Close  study;  I  Plope  under  your  Wise  Direction  &  Tuition  he 
may  become  a  Worthy  man  &  a  Credit  to  the  Xame  of  his  Progenitors.  He 
is  too  prone  to  Company  &  a  W^aste  of  Time;  &  a  superficial  method  of  study; 
I  Thot  it  but  Honest  to  mention  this  for  his  sake  as  you  will  herby,  seeing 
his  Weak  side;  be  under  Advantages  to  know,  where  to  Employ  your  special 
Attention.  His  father  Desires  you  would  use  all  needed  freedoms  w^ith  him; 
&  put  him  under  any  Restraints,  or  Constraints  you  shall  Judge  necessary. 

M""  Boltwood  is  now  waiting  &  can  allow  me  Time  no  more  than  to  Tell 
you;  I  dont  know  how  to  Express  by  w'ords,  My  Dear  affections  &  good 
Wishes  to  you  &  yours  to  whom  I  send  Hearty  Respects  as  to  y""  self;  Especially 
to  Dear  M""  Woodward,  who  is  very  Tenderl}^  Beloved  by  his  &  Hon*^  Rev^  & 
Dear  S*- 

Y^  very  obliged  &  Humble  Serv* 
David  Parsons 
Amherst  Feb:  22,  1773 

[Addressed:]  For  the  Rev'^  Hon''  &  Eearned  Eleazer  Wheelock  D.D. 
President  of  Dartmouth  College  in  Hannover  New  Hampshire  f*  AP  Bolt- 
wood. 

[Endorsed:]    From  the  Rev''  D.  Parsons,  Feb^  22*^  1773. 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN,  1711  TO  1860  7 

From  Charles  NisbTt  to ? 

[The  following  letter  is  incomplete  and  the  date  is  lacking,  but  from  internal  evidence 
it  appears  to  have  been  written  during  the  late  summer  of  1792.  — Editor.] 

The  hasty  Manner  in  which  yours  is  written  has  led  me  to  attribute  the 
Discovery  of  another  Person  to  Mr.  Wakefield,  but  it  is  no  great  Matter,  as 
both  the  Discoveries  are  of  equal  Authority  &  Utility.     Men  that  think  public 
Prayer  a  Sin,  will  have  no  Need  of  the  Sabljath.  and  those  who  deny  the 
Sabbath,  will  have  no  Opportunity  of  Public  Prayer.     But  I  observe  that 
you  say  this  Mr.  Wakefield  is  a  Translator  of  the  New  Testament,  &  that  the 
Reviewers  have  given  a  favourable  Account  of  his  Translation,  from  which 
I  infer  that  it  must  be  favourable  to  Socinianism.     It  if  w^ere  not  a  laborious 
Task  to  translate  the  Scriptures,  we  should  have  many  different  Translations 
of  them.    The  Germans  are  not  afraid  of  Labour,  &  therefore  they  have  many 
Translations,  both  of  the  Old  &  New  Testament.    The  Story  I  mentioned  with 
Reg-ard  to  Dr.  Beattie  was  not  intended  as  an  Instance  of  American  Ignorance, 
as  vou  seem  to  imagine,  but  of  Obstinacy  &  Negligence,  as  the  Person  I  referred 
to  had  an  Opportunity  of  being  fully  informed  of  the  Matter  in  Question. 
Your  Doubt  with  Regard  to  Dr.  Beattie  is  easily  resolved.     By  the  Law 
of  Scotland  every  Professor  must  be  of  the  Communion  of  the  Established 
Church.  &  sign  the  Confession  of  Faith  &  Formula  of  Church  Government. 
Ergo  Dr.  Beattie  as  well  as  others.     Nor  is  there  any  Inconsistency  betwixt 
this  &  ]\Ir.  MT^onald's  Story.     At  Aberdeen  it  is  common  for  Students  to 
pass  their  Course  of  Philosophy,  &  even  to  study  Divinity,  before  they  deter- 
mine whether  they  are  to  be  of  the  Presbyterian  or  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
&  many  adhere  to  the  one  or  the  other,  according  as  they  first  can  get  a  Settle- 
ment in  either.     So  that  it  is  very  possible  that  Mr.  Beattie  might  imagine 
that  Mr.  M'^Donald  has  not  such  Friends,  as  could  get  him  a  Place  in  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  which  was  afterwards  found  on  Trial  to  be  true,  it  was  there- 
fore his  Interest  to  seek  a.  Settlement  in  an  Episcopal  Meeting,  for  which  the 
Doctor's  Recommendation  might  be  of  Service  to  him.     Nor  do  I  in  the  least 
doubt  that  he  would  endeavour  to  remove  his  Scruples  on  that  Head,  as  he 
has  lived  long  in  the  Habits  of  the  greatest  Intimacy  with  Dr.  Porteous  Bishop 
of  London,  &  Professes  in  his  Essay  on  Truth  his  Indifference  with  Regard 
to  the  Presbyterian  &  Episcopal  Communions.     Yet  I  know  very  w^ell  that  he 
refused  to  take  Episcopal  Orders,  tho  he  was  offered  a  very  rich  Living  in 
England,  with  the  Hopes  of  further  Preferment,  on  that  Condition.     You 
out^ht  to  know  much  more  of  the  Blunders  of  Printers  among  us,  than  I  can 


8  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

do.  as  I  do  not  see  ten  of  their  Papers  in  a  Year.  What  I  mentioned  in  mv  last 
was  a  sensless  PubHcation  of  Mr.  Bailey's  with  Regard  to  Scotland,  in  which 
many  palpable  Falsehoods  were  strongly  asserted.  And  I  am  glad  that  I  am 
enabled  by  a  Letter  from  a  worthy  Minister  in  Scotland,  which  I  received 
along  with  yours,  to  assure  you  that  tho'  Mr.  Bailey  asserted  that  the  estab- 
lished Clergy  had  mostly  emJjraced  Socinianism  or  Deism.  <X:  that  all  Creeds 
&  confessions  were  abolished,  my  Correspondent,  who  is  a  pious  &  intelligent 
Minister,  writes  me  that  a  worldly  &  graceless  Spirit  prevails  among  some 
of  their  Clergy,  much  more  than  Socinianism,  or  Heterodoxy  of  any  kind. 
He  says  that  the  Unitarians  have  had  very  little  Success  in  disseminating  their 
Principles  in  Scotland,  &  that  even  among  the  Dissenters  in  England,  where 
they  had  much  more  Success,  their  Interest  is  now-  declining.  &  that  many  of 
their  largest  Congregations  are  now  endeavouring  to  get  serious  &  orthodox 
Ministers,  in  stead  of  their  Socinian  Teachers.  He  says  that  many  more 
orthodox,  pious  and  able  young  Men  have  obtained  Settlements  in  the  b^stab- 
lished  Church  during  a  few  Years  past,  than  for  many  Years  formerly.  & 
he  mentions  six  Counties,  in  which  Arminianism  had  prevailed  much  hitherto, 
but  was  now  almost  banished  by  the  Labours  of  pious  &  orthodox  Ministers, 
lately  admitted.  &  that  much  good  has  been  done  in  the  Highlands,  by  the 
Labours,  of  the  Missionaries  &  School-masters  of  the  Society  for  propagating 
Christian  knowledge,  who  have  a  fund  of  Ninety  thousand  Pounds  Sterling, 
which  they  apply  for  the  Support  of  Religion  in  the  Highlands  &  Islands. 
And  altho'  he  owns  that  Infidelity,  Vice  and  Profaneness  ha\e  made  no  small 
Progress  in  that  Country  since  I  left  it.  yet  when  they  compare  themselves  with 
other  Countries,  they  have  Reason  to  be  thankful.  &  to  admire  the  Patience 
&  Mercy  of  God  towards  them.  You  may  depend  on  this  more  than  all  the 
Scribblers  of  your  News-papers,  who  pretend  to  give  you  an  Account  of  Mat- 
ters, whereof  they  themselves  know^  nothing.  I  am  not  surprised  to  learn  that 
Lies  are  printed  in  England,  as  well  as  in  America.  The  Spirit  of  the  French 
Revolution  Avhich  is  sprea[d]  among  a  Party  in  that  Country,  has  much  infected 
their  Publications,  &  America  is  held  up  by  that  Party  as  perfect  in  every 
Respect.  But  some  who  have  been  in  America,  &  who  ought  to  know  better, 
have  been  as  guilt}'  in  this  Respect  as  those  who  use  Conjectures,  or  talk  at 
Random,  to  promote  the  Interests  of  their  Party.  Thomas  Payne  &  Joel 
Barlow  have  spread  many  lies  in  iMigland,  with  Respect  to  this  Country. 
Barlow  says  expressly  that  no  Nation  in  the  world  is  so  devout  as  the  Ameri- 
cans. Now  if  he  only  meant  by  this  that  those  in  America  who  were  religious 
People,  were  as  devout  as  others  elsewhere,  it  would  be  impossible  to  contradict 
him.  but  if  he  means  as  certainly  he  does,  that  the  Profession  &  Appearance 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN.  1711  TO  1860  9 

of  Religion  is  as  common  in  America,  as  in  other  Countries,  he  Hes  in  the 
grossest  ]\Ianner.  I  have  never  heard  of  any  Printers  in  this  Country  who 
had  exercised  the  same  Trade  in  Great  Britain,  except  Mr.  Rivington  of  New 
York,  who  was  the  Pnbhsher  of  the  Royal  Gazette  in  the  time  of  the  late 
War,  &  at  the  same  time  a  Spy  of  General  Washington's,  the  largeness  of 
his  Parts  &  Conscience  enabling  him  to  act  in  this  double  Capacity.  Tom 
Paine  will  be  perfectly  in  his  Element  in  the  French  Convention,  and  if  he 
endeavours  to  realise  his  favourite  Scheme  of  a  standing  Mob.  as  the  Organ 
by  which  the  People  ought  to  act  at  all  times,  in  that  Country,  its  Misery 
will  be  compleat.  Indeed  it  is  almost  so  already.  How  thankful  ought  we 
to  be,  that  we  are  so  far  from  it!  Our  Mobbers  can  only  join  with  their 
Brethren  in  their  Wishes.  &  b}-  rejoicing  in  the  Ravage  made  by  these  Wolves 
of  Europe,  give  a  needless  Proof  of  the  Baseness  of  their  own  Characters.  It 
is  probable  that  poor  Lewis  the  16'''  will  have  a  Mock  Trial  &  a  real  Execution 
in  a  short  time.  None  will  dare  to  appear  as  his  Counsel  except  perhaps  some 
Wretch  appointed  by  the  Convention  for  form's  sake,  like  the  Person  who 
is  called  the  Devil's  Advocate  at  Rome,  who  pleads  against  the  Canonisation 
of  Saints.  The  present  Demagogues,  having  so  lately  experienced  how  much 
may  be  done  by  a  Mob.  will  not  think  themselves  secure  in  their  Seats,  till 
they  have  got  rid  of  the  King  &  Queen,  lest  a  Mob  should  be  raised  in  their 
favours,  which  might  sacrifice  their  present  Leaders  in  a  summary  Manner. 
No  Weather-cock  is  more  variable  than  a  Mob.  It  is  only  a  few  Years,  that 
on  the  Birth  of  the  late  Dauphin,  every  Individual  in  Paris  sat  up  all  Night, 
in  order  to  get  the  earliest  Advices  of  the  Queen's  Delivery  &  the  Addresses 
of  all  Ranks  &  Orders  of  Men  to  the  King  on  that  Occasion,  vied  with  each 
other  in  expressing  the  warmest  Affection  to  his  Person,  &  the  utmost  Satis- 
faction with  his  Government.  Now  again,  when  the  Gaols  are  pulled  down,  & 
their  former  Inhabitants  fill  the  Seats  of  Legislature,  nothing  less  than  his 
Blood  can  satisfy  them,  tho'  his  only  Crime  is  that  of  being  a  King,  which 
is  now  considered  as  the  greatest  of  all.  But  poor  Lewis  was  no  less  popular 
in  America.  He  was  called  our  great  &  good  Ally,  the  Friend  of  Liberty  & 
^Mankind,  &  his  Wisdom,  his  Justice  &  Magnanimity  were  extolled  to  the 
utmost,  &  now  when  he  is  a  Prisoner,  he  is  insulted  in  his  Misfortunes  by 
ungrateful  WVetches,  who  without  him  had  been  nothing.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  Tom  Payne  will  endeavour  to  be  King  of  the  Mob  of  Paris,  &  to 
supplant  Pethion  the  King  of  the  Day,  unless  the  Jacobin  Club  have  another 
Candidate  already  in  View.  If  their  People  can  be  kept  from  rising  for  a 
little  time,  it  is  probable  that  the  Game  of  Paper  Money  will  be  tried  anew, 
as  great  Fortunes  must  have  been  made  by  the  Assignats,  which  are  now  at 


10  THE  NEW  ^ORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

an  I^nd.  1)\-  the  Death  <>f  the  National  Assenihly.  The  Concern  tliat  tlie  French 
Leaders  are  taking"  in  the  Affairs  of  Flanders  &  Savoy,  tho'  wisely  meant  to 
keep  their  Army  at  a  Distance.  &  to  turn  off  the  attention  of  the  People  from 
their  own  Misery  at  home,  will  prohably  tend  to  overset  them  in  the  End, 
as  when  an  Army  is  kept  lon,2^  on  foot,  factions  may  arise  in  it.  which  may 
turn  the  Soldiers  against  their  Masters.  Cromwell  himself  was  almost  over- 
set hv  the  Sect  of  Levellers,  that  arose  in  his  Ami}'.  cH:  \-on  know  that  Charles 
the  fifth  kept  his  Troops  so  long"  assembled  before  Magdcbnrgh,  that  they 
turned  against  him,  &  obliged  him  to  fly  to  Italy.  I  agree  with  you  that  there 
appears  to  l)e  something  singular  in  man)'  of  the  Occurrences  of  our  'i^imes. 
but  as  human  Nature  is  always  the  same  frcMii  the  beginning  of  the  World, 
the  Historv  of  the  Times  may  furnish  us  with  the  Causes  of  these  Singularities. 
The  Progress  of  Infidelity  &'  Atheism  in  France  is  more  than  sufficient  to 
account  for  all  the  Wonders  that  have  happened  there.  Consider  a  Country 
without  Religion,  Law  or  Order,  a  furious  Mob  pillaging  &  murdering  without 
the  least  fear  of  the  Gallows.  Men  without  Faith,  Conscience  or  moral  Prin- 
ciple of  any  kind,  intoxicated  with  imaginary  Rights  &  Privileges,  intent  on 
Gain  &  the  favour  of  the  Mob,  &  these  will  abundantly  account,  both  for  the 
Confusions  &  ]\Iurders  in  France,  &  the  A[)probation  that  has  been  given  to 
these  Doings  by  Persons  of  the  same  Characters  in  America.  All  Men  by 
Nature  are  just  what  the  Scriptures  described  them.  'AVhen  thou  sawest  a 
Thief,  then  thou  consentedst  with  him,  &  thou  hast  been  Partaker  with  Adul- 
terers." Psal.  50.  18.  Who  knowing  "the  Judgment  of  God  (that  they  which 
commit  such  things  are  w^orthy  of  Death)  not  only  do  the  same,  but  have 
Pleasure  in  them  that  do  them."  Rom.  1.  32.  The  Scripture  is  the  1)est  Key 
to  the  Invents  of  Providence,  as  these  are  only  the  fulfilling  of  the  Scripture. 
Some  well  disposed  People  conceived  hopes  from  the  Beginning  of  the  Revolu- 
tion of  France,  because  they  thought  it  would  tend  to  lessen  the  Interests  of 
Popery,  &  even  Charles  Fox.  who  is  not  the  most  pious  Man  in  England, 
praised  it  at  first.  But  since  he  has  been  in  France  &  seen  things  with  his 
own  E\ei>,  neither  he  nor  any  of  the  Minority  of  the  British  Parliament  have 
undertaken  its  Defence.  .\nd  even  Dr.  Priestly  feared  to  trust  his  precious 
Life  to  the  Government  of  the  People,  lest  he  should  have  the  Fate  of  poor 
La  Fayette.  He  was  the  man  who  made  the  King  a  Prisoner.  &  he  is  now  a 
Prisoner  himself.  And  his  Sentence  in  Germany  will  not  be  milder  than  that 
of  Lewis  at  Paris,  as  both  will  be  tried  by  their  Enemies.  I  suppose  that 
Thomas  Pa>ne  must  undergo  some  Purgation  or  Penance  for  having  dedicated 
his  Pam])hlet  to  the  Manpiis  de  la  Fayette,  but  if  the  Convention  appoint 
him  a  mild  Confes.sor,  he  may  be  only  appointed  to  walk  thrice  bare  footed 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN,  1711  TO  1860  H 

round  the  Shrine  of  VoUaire  &  Rousseau,  &  after  burning  his  Dedication 
with  his  own  hand,  &  asking  Pardon  of  the  People  in  the  Place  de  Greve,  with 
a  Rope  about  his  Neck,  he  may  obtain  Absolution.  The  Defenders  of  the 
late  Constitution  of  France  will  now  be  busy  in  refuting  their  own  Writings, 
&  proving  that  no  Constitution,  ought  to  last  longer  than  from  one  Mob  to 
another.  They  will  also  probably  annex  a  small  Dissertation  against  the 
Obligation  of  Oaths,  but  as  this  has  never  been  mentioned  in  France,  they 
will  not  need  to  say  much  upon  it.  Mankind  are  now  pretty  generally  con- 
vinced that  Oaths  are  but  Words,  &  Words  but  Wind,  as  Butler  observed 
long  ago.  You  Air  Balloons  will  probably  divide  the  Attention  of  the  People, 
&  leave  them  less  Leisure  to  attend  to  the  Play-house  &  the  Congress.  They 
will  likewise  give  your  Citizens  an  Opportunity  of  spending  their  superfluous 
Cash,  which  is  no  small  Conveniency.  —  But  having  detained  you  long  enougli 
in  animadverting  on  yours,  I  remain  with  Esteem, 

Rev'^.  Dear  Sir, 

Your  very  humble  Servant, 
Cha^  Nisbet. 


From  John  Serge.\nt  to  Enoch  FL\le 

New  Stockbridge  Nov:  20"^  1806 
Rev:  Sir 

I  received  your  letter  directing  me  to  perform  the  cerimony  of  entering 
into  a  covenant  of  friendship  with  the  Stockbridge  Indians  in  season  to  per- 
form the  Service,  the  following  is  a  Coppy  of  my  address  to  them  and  their 
Answer,  which  I  hope  will  meet  the  approbation  of  the  Society,  After  men- 
tioning my  appointment  then  said 
"Children  and  Brothers  attend 

In  the  name  of  the  Society  I  now  stretch  fourth  my  hand  to  take  hold 
of  your  hand  to  establish  a  covenant  of  friendship  which  you  once  proposed 
to  the  Hampshire  Missionary  Society,  that  they  may  join  hand  in  hand  with 
you  in  the  great  and  important  things  respecting  the  good  and  happiness  of 
your  Western  Breathren  for  whom  you  have  manifested  a  great  concern. 

The  Society  are  desireous  to  send  some  good  men  to  teach  the  Indians 
the  knowledge  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  your  Friends  of  the 
different  Tribes  should  be  desireous  of  it. 
Children  and  Brothers 

Be  assured  that  their  friendship  will  extend  to  all  the  different  Tribes  of 


]2  THE  NEW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRARV 

Indians.  the  Society  wish  they  should  be  Informed  that  their  friendship  is  not 
for  the  sake  of  their  land  or  anything  they  have. 

The  ears  of  the  Societ)-  will  allways  be  open  to  hear  your  voice. 

And  further  the  Society  now  open  a  common  path  which  leads  from  your 
fire  place  to  theirs,  and  remove  all  the  brush,  and  every  stumblcing  block  out 
of  the  path  that  you  may  always  see  it  clearly. 

They  wish  your  friends  a  prosperous  journey  in  their  proposed  visit  to 
your  Western  Breathren,  and  the  good  Lord  would  preserve  them  from  all 
danger,  and  in  due  time  return  them  in  peace  and  safety." 

farewell 

A  String  of  Wampom  delivered. 

niie  Answer. 

blather  you  inform  us  that  you  are  appointed  by  the  Hampshire  Mis- 
sionary Society  to  enter  into  a  Covenant  of  friendship  with  us  for  the  purpose 
of  opening  the  door  to  the  distant  ^Vestern  Tribes  of  Indians  by  which  means 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  our  Saviour  might  be  admited  among  them. 

Father  This  information  gladden  our  hearts  and  for  which  we  now 
thank  you. 

To  the  Hampshire  Missionary  Society 
Fathers  and  Brothers  attend. 

Our  nation  often  remember  the  ancient  covenant  of  friendship  that  was 
established  between  our  Ancestors  and  yours.  We  greatly  rejoiced  when 
we  heard  that  the  great  and  good  Spirit  moved  the  hearts  of  many  people  in 
the  east  that  they  have  compassionate  feelings  towards  the  different  Tribes 
of  our  colour  who  inhabit  the  western  Country. 
Fathers  and  Brothers. 

We  are  glad  that  you  stretch  fourth  your  hand  to  establish  a  covenant  of 
friendship  between  you  and  our  nation,  that  by  the  help  of  the  great  and  good 
spirit  w'e  may  be  enabled  to  join  hand  in  hand  in  promoting  the  happiness  of 
our  western  Breath[r]en  who  are  perishing  in  heathen  darkness,  by  which 
means  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  our  Saviour  might  spread  among  them. 
Fathers  and  Brothers 

We  now  join  with  }-ou  in  opening  a  common  path  which  leads  from  your 
fire  place  to  our  fire  place,  and  remove  every  stone  and  rotten  log  from  it, 
and  pull  up  every  brier  which  grows  on  it,  that  we  may  walk  backwards  and 
forwards  to  visit  one  another  without  hurting  our  feet,  and  this  path  leads 


LETTERS  OF  AMERICAN  CLERGYMEN,  1711  TO  1860  13 

thro:  the  different  fire  places  of  all  the  different  Tribes  inhabiting  the  western 
Country  May  the  good  Spirit  bless  you  and  us,  that  this  covenant  may  last 
to  the  latest  generations 

four  Strings  of  Wampom  delivered. 
Done  in  Council  this 

19^'^  day  of  Nov:  1806 

The  Deligation  from  the  Tribe  have  for  some  time  been  detained  for 
want  of  money  to  purchase  necessary  articles  for  their  journey,  they  are  now 
ready  and  waiting  only  for  favourable  weather  when  they  will  set  out.  A 
young  man  of  this  Tribe  goes  in  the  company  to  be  employed  as  a  School 
Master  by  the  Society  in  Boston.  As  it  may  gratify  your  Society  I  will 
transcribe  a  Coppy  of  the  agreement  I  made  with  him  by  the  direction  of  said 
Society. 

The  following  is  a  Coppy  of  an  agreement  made  with  John  Jacob: 

pt  Pqj.  y^^^^  services  in  teaching  the  school  the  Society  will  agree  to 
allow  you  $18  pr  Month,  your  wages  to  begin  on  the  day  you  set  out  and  end 
on  the  day  you  return. 

2'y  In  consideration  of  the  great  distance  you  are  to  go  and  the  dif- 
ficulty of  transmiting  you  money  I  agree  to  advance  you  $60  and  as  soon 
as  you  are  settled  in  your  school  you  are  to  inform  me  by  letter,  I  will  forward 
your  wages  by  Mail  or  otherwise  lay  it  out  for  the  support  of  your  Children 
as  you  shall  direct  and  as  fast  as  it  becomes  due. 

3'y  It  is  desired  that  you  continue  in  said  school  one  year  at  lest  and 
on  your  return  the  Society  agree  to  allow  a  full  compensation  for  your  services, 
on  condition  of  your  observing  the  following  instructions  (viz)  you  are  to 
proceed  to  the  western  Country  with  }our  companions  a  Diligation  from  the 
Tribe. 

That  as  soon  as  you  are  introduced  by  your  friends  to  a  perticular  Tribe 
as  is  thought  most  proper,  you  are  to  begin  your  school  and  endeavour  to  be 
regular  as  the  stated  hours. 

You  are  to  teach  the  Children  to  read  and  write,  and  as  soon  as  you 
find  it  best  you  are  to  teach  them  to  sing.  You  are  to  learn  them  some  Psalms 
in  your  language  if  you  find  they  can  understand  it.  On  the  Sabaths  you  are 
to  refrain  from  all  worldly  business  and  recreation. 

You  are  to  note  down  in  a  journal  every  thing  important  that  takes  place, 
particularly  at  the  end  of  every  week,  how  many  Children  you  have  had,  and 


]4  THE  XKW  YORK  PUBLIC  LIBRAKV 

what  progress  they  make,  and  send  me  coppies  from  your  Journals  once  in 
two  months  Iw  Mail  or  otherwise  as  you  shall  find  oppertunity.  Our  Chief 
will  inform  the  Indians  they  must  gi\'e  you  your  hoard,  and  what  ever  thev 
do  in  this  way  you  are  to  give  credit  to  the  Society  towards  your  wages. 

Vou  with  our  Chiefs  who  will  be  with  you  will  use  your  utmost  en- 
deavours, that  you  be  suppl}ed  with  books  paper  &c  but  if  you  are  obliged 
to  advance  your  own  money  for  these  necessary  things  you  shall  be  refunded 
the  same. 

\\nien  you  send  forward  your  Journals  you  are  to  try  to  [obtainj  some 
Missionary  or  Agent  for  Indian  affairs  to  certify  [what?]  representations  are 
just. 

You  will  please  to  inform  the  Society  there  is  a  steady  sober  man  of  the 
Deleware  Tribe  who  is  expected  to  go  in  the  company,  he  is  not  at  home, 
but  shall  see  him  in  a  few  days,  and  think  of  proposing  to  him  to  teach  a  school, 
to  be  under  the  direction  of  your  society,  that  when  they  arrive  among  the 
Indians,  and  there  appears  to  be  proper  incouragement,  he  should  immediately 
write  to  me,  when  I  can  inform  }ou  the  state  of  the  business,  in  this  way  the 
$50  might  be  well  appropriated,  if  this  plan  should  meet  w'ith  their  approba- 
tion, as  I  borrowed  the  wampom  of  the  Indians  for  the  above  mentioned 
purpose  paid  them  the  $4.  If  you  find  no  better  way  you  can  direct  AP  Button 
one  of  your  Missionaries  in  this  vicinity  to  pay  it  to  me,  who  informed  me 
he  had  money  on  hand  for  your  Society,  remain  your  most  obliged  friend 
and  brother 

in  the  Gospel  of  Christ 

John  Sergeant 

Rev:  M--  Hale. 

N  B  It  is  not  probable  that  any  thing  wnll  turn  up  untill  spring  respecting 
a  second  proposed  school  among  the  western  Indians  wish  your  Society  would 
so  direct  their  matters  that  the  $50  may  be  at  command  when  ever  there 
shall  be  an  opening,    as  soon  as  I  hear  will  write. 

[Addressed:]  Vernon  N.Y.  25"'  Novr. 

Rev  Enoch  Hale 

Westhampton 

Common  Wealth  Massachusetts 
To  the  care 

Post  ]\Iaster  Vernon 

County  of  Oneida 

[Endorsed:]    Rev.  John  Sergeant    New  Stockbridge    Nov.  20"' A  D  1806 


DATE  DUE 


^ 

CAYLORO 

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Letters  of  American  clergymen,  1711  to 

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